10-WestCem-W-Mifflin

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Norman J. Meinert
 O'Hara Township, Allegheny County, PA
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The following listing is from contributed family files, and/or Tombstone Recordings.
This is NOT official cemetery information.
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West Cemetery
a.k.a. - Tara Hill (Terra Hill) Cemetery
a.k.a. - Greensprings Catholic Cemetery
a/k/a - Old St. Thomas Cemetery
a/k/a - Old Whitaker Cemetery
Eliza and Glencairn Road
West Mifflin, PA


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(Photo: Courtesy of Lois Lyman, 2011)

Posted: September 12, 2011

This small West Mifflin, PA cemetery, over past generations referred to by a variety of names (see list of a.k.a's above), contains the remains of early settlers and local Indians whose influence and contributions are documented in "Biographical Review, Volume 24, Sketches of leading citizens of Pittsburg and the vicinity, Pennsylvania (1897)". The most prominent headstones are those of Thomas and Nancy (Whitaker) West and the Oldshue families.  (Source: Homestead & Mifflin Township Historical Society, Vol. 2, No. 5.).

Family names associated with this area, named "Tara Hill", were: Whitaker, West, Kenny and Maginn. Further details may be found in the
 "History of Mifflin Township to West Mifflin Borough, p. 119 (TARA HILL)"

Relative excerpts from 3 different issues of newsletters, courtesy of Mifflin Township Historical Society newsletter archives, are available for reading and downloading (CLICK HERE), with the understanding they are copyrighted material and not to be sold for personal gain.

Combined efforts over the years by Homestead & Mifflin Township Historical Society; "community service" helpers; local neighbors and Girl Scouts have helped give this cemetery a well maintained appearance.


Information collected by Edwin S. Hodge (now deceased), September 30, 1983:

This cemetery is on the northeast corner in West Mifflin Boro. It is in Section R-21 page 15 of the Geographia Atlas of Greater Pittsburgh, Edition of 1978.  This cemetery is marked by a wrought iron fence on four sides, overgrown heavily with briars, busy low hanging trees and copious poison ivy. Some stones were read, there were about six that were too badly eroded to read. There were at least two graves with field stone markers but no inscription.
Information contributed by Lois Lyman, September 10, 2011:

When I was growing up in the Homeville area of West Mifflin, there was a small cemetery very near where I lived.  It had a dilapidated iron fence and was always overgrown with weeds.  Earlier this summer (2011) when I was over that way, I swung by the cemetery to check it out.  It was a pleasant surprise.  The cemetery is being mowed and has a new black aluminum fence.  So I set about making my recordings.

The cemetery is at the corner of Eliza and Glencairn streets in the Homeville area of West Mifflin.  It is across the street from Homeville Elementary School which was Homeville Junior High School  back in the 40's, 50's and 60's when I lived there.  In addition to the few granite tombstones, there are about a dozen weathered, broken, and unreadable limestone and fieldstone markers.  The cemetery has no sign, but it was known as the West Family Cemetery when I lived in the area.


Readings recorded by Edwin S. Hodge

The following inscription was on a marker near the front:

WEST MIFFLIN HISTORICAL MARKER
Some of the early settlers of West Mifflin
are buried here. An unknown number of settlers
 and Indians lie in unmarked graves within and
 beyond the fence.
Thomas West  died Jan 20, 1863  Aged 70 years
Nancy West  died April 30, 1870  Aged 67 years

A pillored monument held the names of
Lincoln Oldshue
And
His wife
At the base to the left there was a foundation for a stone, but the stone was missing.

At the right of the base a stone bore this
Martha Ann Oldshue
Born Oct. 17, 1924
Died Aug. 18, 1903

On an opposite face from Lincoln Oldshue there read
Mary H. Oldshue
Thomas L. Oldshue
Charles Oldshue

Nearby these stones
            Mary H. Oldshue            Thomas L. Oldshue
            born Jan. 11, 1861            born Dec. 2, 1846
            died April 2, 1887            died June 3, 1877

No stone for Charles Oldshue

On a single marker
John W. Oldshue, M. D.
1848       1917

Frances Gulick Oldshue
1863       1891

Arrows on the stone pointed to John’s grave on the right and Frances’ grave on the left.


Contributors:
(LL) = Lois Lyman, [email protected]
(NL) = Nancy Long, [email protected]


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